Letter writers sound off on everything from abortion to guns to weedy roadsides

AP Photo U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., addresses members of the media in Chesterfield, Mo., where he confirmed his plans to remain in Missouri's U.S. Senate race despite a political uproar over remarks he made about rape and pregnancy.

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Our letter writers have had a lot on their minds the past few days.

Email letters of 250-words or less to grletters@mlive.com. Please include a name, address, hometown and phone number. (The address and phone number are for verification purposes only.)

Decisions about abortion are better left to women The Republican Party has approved a platform that excludes all abortions. This occurred at the same time that Todd Akin, the Republican seeking the Senate from Missouri, stated that there is such a thing as legitimate rape and a woman forcibly raped need not fear pregnancy because she will produce hormones to protect her.

Later, he apologized and said there is no such thing as legitimate rape (although there was until 1993 when all 50 states made spousal rape a crime.) But he was also factually wrong.

Raped women do get pregnant. Even though the leadership of the Republican Party has asked Mr. Akin to end his candidacy, his views are sadly no different from his party’s platform that there be no exceptions to abortions, even to save the life of the woman. O, the politics of abortion! And the insult to women!

For over the past 40 years, we have witnessed the so-called right-to-life movement. The only thing I believe they have accomplished is harassment and increasing the difficulty for women who have a problem pregnancy to get therapeutic care.

Roe v. Wade established the legal right in most cases for a woman to terminate a pregnancy. I believe it is also their right before God, as thankfully do many churches and synagogues.

Ultimately the men who have had most of the power and control over this matter ought to step aside. Women will be more moral in any decision regarding their pregnancy than any politician, especially those who are male.Rev. HAROLD PORTER/Spring Lake

America needs intelligent gun control lawsI must raise my voice to protest the sale of automatic guns to the public. They are not necessary for hunting or protection, but only are used in illegal and tragic assaults.

When will this madness stop? What will it take to end this epidemic of killings? America needs intelligent gun control laws. Let the voice of reason be heard.JUDY OTTE/Wyoming

NRA should use influence to stop illegal gun salesWe might as well get used to mass killings. Mentally unbalanced people are just using their rights to bear arms.

There are lots of madmen out there. When they go over the edge, they start shooting. Nobody else has the deep pockets of the National Rifle Association to do anything about it. If the NRA would use their influence to help stop illegal sales of guns and ammunition, they could do a great service to the country.WILLARD BOSSERMAN/Grand Rapids

Don't beautify streets unless you can maintain themIt seems a short time ago that the city of Grand Rapids informed us that they were going to put medians in some of our city streets. This is for better traffic flow and for beautification. What happened? The weeds and growth have overtaken the middle of many streets.

Go north on Division Avene from 28th Street, which is just one example of many streets that are in the same sad shape. The city also cut out squares on both sides of the street for trees.

Now, the weeds are almost at car window level, it's a sad and sorry sight. Please don’t attempt in the future to “beautify” our streets if there isn’t any money in the budget to maintain them. This situation is truly an insult to the city to allow this to happen.JOHN HELDER/Grand Rapids

Many people rely on public transportationI heard about the proposal to end The Rapid in Walker when I attended a Disability Awareness Day planning committee meeting and later the same day when I attended a Restorative Justice board meeting, with different people.

I know, first hand, what it's like to not live near public transportation, particularly after my dad had to move from his home, where he had lived for 50 years, and leave all of his friends to move in with us after he could no longer drive. There was no public transportation available where he lived.

I also know what it's like for three adults to try to share one car, living in Rockford, where there is no public transportation. If your car breaks down and you can't afford the repairs, you will lose your job and fall even further behind. Gasoline, maintenance, repairs and insurance are expensive.

I wish Meijer stores were connected by bus lines and that we could use the parking lots as park and rides. You could drop someone off at the local Meijer, a few miles away, in the morning. They could catch a bus into Grand Rapids, and pick them up in the evening, rather than tie up a car all day for only one person. LINDA BRAUER/Rockford

Exercise your right to vote
We are approaching a crucial election. Leaders are facing many challenges: the economy, unemployment and the rising cost of fuel.

The people need a leader who can navigate the waters and direct the course of the nation.

The people want to once again take pride in the country they love. Every citizen should exercise their right, privilege and obligation to vote.BONNIE AMBROSE/Wyoming

Getting crowded again in extreme end of Republican PartyMy, my! History does repeat itself.

Some 50 years ago, I joined the Republican Party as a precinct worker but was booted out of the party by the lunatic fringe, the John Birch Society, whose members were devotees of the writer Ayn Rand, the libertarian of her era.

Rand preached the doctrine that the government performed no function that could not be better performed by the private sector. This would include, presumably, all functions such as the military, prisons, education, health, regulations, energy, environment, roads, highways, bridges, etc. Can you picture Blackwater Inc. in charge of our Army?

Paul Ryan is a follower of Ayn Rand. I thought these crackpots had left the public scene, but apparently these later-day Ayn Rand-ers will join the “Tea Pots” at the extreme end of the Republican Party.CON MOELLING/Middleville

Judges deserve respect and your voteI have been a member of the State Bar of Michigan and Grand Rapids Bar Association for more than 23 years. All of that time, I have stayed clear of politics, and nearly all of that time I have practiced in the family law arena. Let there be no mistake, I respect every judge I appear before. I advocate zealously, according to the principles of law, for my clients. I do not play favorites nor do I expect favoritism in return. Instead, I play hard by the rules and expect, and have received, justice from our local bench.

This year, two judges whom I most admire for their service to this bar and the community at large are under attack in their re-election campaigns. They have not had raises in compensation in more than 10 years; they have devoted themselves, at the expense of their friendships and family lives, to their jobs. They have played hard by the rules and should be revered and honored for same by us all.

They are Kent County Circuit Court Judges G. Patrick Hillary and Patricia Gardner. Please do not ignore their devoted work in favor of splashy ads and empty words. Give your vote to those who you know you can and have trusted.

Vote and vote for Judges Hillary and Gardner this fall.CAROLYN E. GASTON/Grand Rapids

Common sense approaches can fix Social SecurityI just read the Associated Press story "Social Security fixable; changes politically tough," in the Aug. 21 Grand Rapids Press and have some other suggestions.

1. Give everybody the same amount of Social Security based on earnings of $75,000 per year. Those who earn much more per year ($125,000) or more usually can invest a good portion of their income into an IRA, so they do not need to have more than the average person.

2. If a person can survive without receiving Social Security, let them have the option to deny it and, in exchange, they can take 100 percent of what they would have received in the benefit for that year as a tax deduction.

3. Allow those who are younger than 35 to invest half of their Social Security taxes into IRAs of their choice, so they can get a better return on their money. Their future benefit amount would be cut be 50 percent, but has already been offset by their own investments which can be given to them monthly, and not be taxed!

With some common sense approaches and listening to each other, the government can come up with simple solutions to save Social Security for all. Let's hope it is not too late.SHAWN SIMONS/Wyoming

No need for Schmidt to seek protectionI read with great interest the article regarding Lisa Posthumus-Lyons' concern for State Rep. Roy Schmidt’s welfare and safety surrounding his switching political parties.

She expressed fear that Schmidt’s home and family would be besieged by vandals and criminals in an attempt to get even or teach him a lesson. She must be under the impression that Democrats are composed of groups of thugs and hooligans. Otherwise, why would she advise Schmidt to seek protection from the Grand Rapids Police Department or her off-duty husband? She must believe Democrats are under the control of “big union bosses” or have hostile tendencies.

Actually, the only thing she has to fear from Democrats is hearing the “V” word in mixed company.DENNIS MERIZON/Georgetown Township